Letter opener and ejector.



No. 676,902. Patented June 25, Ism.

E. s. MAYLAND.

LETTR OPENER AND EJECTURf Application Bled Mur. 25, 1901.)

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 676,902, dated June 25, 1901.

' Application filed March 25, 1901. Serial Nm 52,687. (No model.)

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Be it known that I, `EDWIN S. MAYLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing atBrooklyn, in the countyof Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter Openers and Ejectors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to letter openers and extractors of the kind which form a part of the envelop; and it consists of the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view of the open envelopblank, showing the device on its interior before closing; and Fig. 2 is a view of the closed envelop, showing the device in dotted lines.

A is the open blank. B is the closed envelop.

In the top fold I insert from a to b a hard strong thread projecting from the upper righthand corner at 1I, detachably secured at a and l) and preferably lightly g'umined, glued, cemented, or otherwise detachably axed by adhesive means to the blank between d and h. From the point l) the thread is carried diagonally downward to or near to the lower edge of the envelop at the middle point c and there detachably secured to the lower flap, whence it passes from c to d on the lower flap, where it is securely attached at cl and preferably fastened lightlyby adhesive means to the blank between the points c and d. It may also be detachably fastened between the points b and c for better securityin inserting letters so that they may be ejected; but the latter precaution is not necessary. When the blank is properly folded, as shown at B, the thread assumes the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 from a to b, thence to c, and thence to d. The letter when inserted lies in the loop of the thread l? c d, which loop straightens out on any slight pull, drawing the letter with it.

In order to avoid pinching the contained letter, and thus interfering with its ejectment, I preferably close the blank between the lower fold and the dotted line ef, so lthat the letter will not sink entirely down to the fold. I

do this either by adhesive means between the line e f and the fold or by inserting small metal fasteners through the envelop at intervals on the line ef, as at g h, or in any other obviously equivalent manner of eecting the same result.

The mode of operating the device is as follows: Grasping the letter near its lower corner Without pinching the contents the operator seizes the projecting end of the thread and gives it a slight pull or jerk, which causes the thread to cut its way through the upper fold, exposing the contents of the envelop. A continued pull withdraws the loop b c cl, bringing with it the contained letter embraced by the loop, the thread not being detained until straightened out and held byits connection at the center d of the envelop. In this way the contents of a large mail can be discharged as rapidly as the envelops can be handled, and more rapidly than in any other way known by me to be in use.

A knot may be formed in the thread close to the envelop, .if desired, as shown in Fig. 2, which will facilitate the grasping of the thread and also permit ot' the use of a shorter projecting end, or the end need not project at all if a tearable place be made by perforations in the envelop near. the upper fold, as shown in dotted lines atj, so that the thread may be grasped at that point. The thread in this case will cut the fold both Ways at once.

I do not claim the employment of a thread for opening letters per Se; but

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let'- ters Patent, is-

1. An envelop having an inserted thread along its upper fold, detachably fastened at the corners, a loop of said thread passing from one upper cornerdiagonally to near the middle of the lower fold, there detachably fastened to the lower flap and proceeding thence to the point of the lower flap, where said thread is secured, whereby the envelop may be opened and its contents ejected by a pull on the thread, substantially as specified.

2. A combined envelop, letter opener and ejector, consisting of a thread a h detachably secured along the interior upper edge of said envelop, a loop b c d of said thread passing from one upper corner to near the middle of the lower edge, ther-e detachably fastened to the lower liep and proceeding thence to the point of the lower Iiap, where it is secured; said envelop provided with means at its lower` edge for preventing the pinching of the oontents thereof in handling the envelop for ejection, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

t EDWIN S. MAYLAND.

Witnesses:

JOHN HEYDINGER, J r., R. H. MAYLAND. 

